Dam designed by Hydro Tasmania to be demolished

A Queensland dam designed by Hydro Tasmania will be pulled down over safety concerns. Why it’s believed to be unsafe.

Recent testing found the concrete used in the construction of Paradise Dam had “unprecedented” issues which impact on the long-term strength of the dam wall.

A Queensland dam designed by Hydro Tasmania will be pulled down over safety concerns.

SunWater CEO Glenn Stockton has announced the $400m Paradise Dam, southwest of Bundaberg, needed to be entirely rebuilt 70m downstream.

The signs of weakness in the dam followed floods in 2010 and 2013 and led to the lowering of the dam in 2019.

Unexpected damage to Paradise Dam following the 2010 - 2013 floods was the first indication of the problems that have beset the dam ever since.

Mr Stockton said he was “not in the position for apportioning blame”, for the faults, which were examined by a Commission of Inquiry in 2020.

Queensland Water Minister Glenn Butcher said there was no choice but to rebuild the dam.

“The Queensland government will always listen to the experts and the expert advice tells us we cannot repair the existing dam wall.”

And Bundaberg Labor MP Tom Smith said the dam poses significant risks to public safety.

“SunWater have highlighted that there are 60,000 people downstream of Paradise Dam who would be potentially in life-threatening danger should a failure occur,” he said.

A SunWater spokesman said the company was “not in a position to provide details on why the dam was built the way it was”, directing all questions about its construction to the winner of the 2003 tender, the Burnett Dam Alliance.

Formed in October 2003, the Burnett Dam Alliance included Burnett Water Pty Ltd, Hydro Tasmania and some construction contractors including the Wagner Group, one of Australia’s biggest construction and mining services companies based in Toowoomba.

Hydro Tasmania led the design of the dam, taking the primary responsibility of ensuring that the construction of the dam stayed within the guard rails laid down by the original plans.

A Hydro spokesman said the government-owned company had nothing to say.

“Hydro Tasmania voluntarily participated with the Commission of Inquiry into Paradise Dam in 2020 and has not been involved with the project since 2012.

“Hydro Tasmania has no comment on the Queensland Government’s decision relating to Paradise Dam.”

In 2003, when Paradise Dam was being designed, only four roller compacted concrete dams had been constructed in Australia, and none of the engineers working for Hydro Tasmania had designed an RCC dam before.

The partnership between Hydro Tasmania and Wagner Group continued after the completion of Paradise Dam, with the two companies collaborating on another Queensland project – Wyaralong Dam – which was completed in 2011

Originally published as Dam designed by Hydro Tasmania to be demolished